Wednesday, March 16, 2011

BMW is now concentrating on the development of the first cars to wear the “i” logo, hybrid range-extended and full-electric plug-in vehicles. 2013 BMW Sports Cars Coupe i8 Hybrid is based on the 2009’s Vision Efficient Dynamics concept model, undergoing cold weather tests in Northern Europe.

2013 BMW Sports Cars Coupe i8 Hybrid

BMW also unveiled a revised version of that model, called the Vision ConnectedDrive Concept, during this year’s 2011 Geneva Motor Show. The i8 plug-in hybrid sports car is scheduled to arrive in the market in 2013.

The 2013 BMW Sports Cars Coupe i8 Hybrid is one of two vehicles BMW has planned for its new green-minded “i” sub-brand. First to arrive will be the BMW i3, a compact 4-seat electric vehicle intended for urban driving. Further up the price and performance scale, the i8 will be powered by a hybrid system incorporating a small gasoline-powered engine—though the exact specifics and power output have not yet been released.

BMW has promised that the performance of the 2013 BMW Sports Cars Coupe i8 Hybrid will be in keeping with that of the brand’s other sports models. Other vehicles will then be added to the “i” lineup after the launch of the i3 and i8.

2013 BMW Sports Cars Coupe i8 Hybrid

Lightweight materials—like carbon fiber and aluminum—will make up a big part of the 2013 BMW Sports Cars Coupe i8 Hybrid’s structure. This should help to offset the weight of the lithium-ion battery pack and other high-tech hardware beneath the car’s skin. Regenerative braking and BMW’s stop-start system (which turns off the engine when the car is stopped, and then restarts it automatically when acceleration is needed) will almost certainly be included in the 2013 BMW Sports Cars Coupe i8 Hybrid.

2013 BMW Sports Cars Coupe i8 Hybrid

BMW R&D chief Klaus Draeger revealed that the diesel unit will be replaced with a gasoline engine in the production model but while the electric motors will remain. “We want to sell it all over the world. Diesel is only really relevant to Europe,” Draeger was quoted as saying.